NEWS FEATURE||August 24, 2026 ๐๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐: ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Sep 1, 2026 - 4 minutes read
BUTUAN CITYโ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฑ) ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ (๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ) ๐๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ด๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ, ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ฟ-๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐๐ด๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ณ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฌ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ.
๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐.
The exit conference provided an avenue for the Central Office Monitoring Team, DepEd Caraga Regional Office, and Schools Division Offices to present, validate, clarify, and consolidate the observations gathered during the field visits. The session focused on providing feedback on program implementation, identifying gaps and concerns, recognizing good practices, and discussing appropriate actions based on the actual conditions observed in schools.
The Central Office Monitoring Team was headed by Dr. Miguel Angelo S. Mantaring, Director IV with Ryan Dave F. Fabreag of the Office of the Director; Millie Jane Fudolig of the Learner Wellness Office; Maria Teresa C. Sano of the Learner Rights and Protection Division; Karen Nnyell B. Fabila of the School Sports Division; Divina D. David of the Youth Formation Division; Peter Larin of the School Health Division; and Ted D. Pinto of the Nutrition and Hygiene Unit.
The Regional Office team included Pedro T. Escobarte Jr., Assistant Regional Director with Dr. Adrilene Mae J. Castaรฑos, PDO IV; Giro Paolo Misael V. Almendralejo, PDO II; Rena Grace G. Tul-id, Nutritionist-Dietitian II; Fe Baring, Teacher Credentials Evaluator II; Charlestone A. Otaza, Technical Assistant II; Leah Ellen V. Yaoyao, Technical Assistant II; Melody Lou B. Villaplaza, Technical Assistant II; Al Jhon Fritz M. Otadoy, Technical Assistant I; Jan Miles Jamodiong, Technical Assistant I; and Joshua Lachica, Technical Assistant I.
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐น๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ
During the conference, the monitoring team shared key observations from schools representing diverse equity contexts, including Large SPED Central Elementary School, a school serving Muslim learners in Butuan City; Atoyay National High School in Socorro, Bucas Grande Island, a Last Mile School; General Luna Central Elementary School in General Luna, Siargao; and Cantugas Cultural Minorities Elementary School in Surigao del Norte, which serves Indigenous Peoples learners and is also classified as a Last Mile School.
๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐
One of the key points raised during the exit conference was the need to ensure that monitoring tools are responsive to the diverse contexts of schools.
Dr. Mantaring described the field validation as a meaningful and humbling experience, noting that the team witnessed firsthand how schools continue to implement programs and serve learners despite limited resources and challenging circumstances. He highlighted the resourcefulness, commitment, and dedication demonstrated by school personnel.
He also noted that some indicators in the proposed monitoring tool may not be fully applicable to Last Mile Schools, underscoring the need to review and refine the tool to make it more responsive to varying school contexts and realities.
๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
The exit conference also provided an opportunity to identify areas for stronger coordination and convergence among BLSS programs and Regional Office units. Discussions focused on how programs can be better harmonized, resources maximized, and technical assistance made more responsive to school and learner needs.
The monitoring team likewise provided technical recommendations and actionable directions based on the field findings. These are intended to guide the Regional and Schools Division Offices in addressing identified gaps, sustaining good practices, improving program implementation, and providing appropriate interventions.
Dr. Mantaring expressed appreciation for the active participation of program owners and implementers at different governance levels. He likewise thanked the Regional Office, Schools Division Offices, and participating schools for their cooperation and valuable contributions to the successful conduct of the monitoring and exit conference.
๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐
The exit conference underscored that equity monitoring does not end with the identification of gaps. Rather, findings and feedback must translate into informed decisions, targeted technical assistance, continuous improvement, and concrete actions that respond to the actual needs of schools and learners.
Through the exchange of feedback and recommendations, the exit conference served as a bridge between field-level realities and responsive program action, strengthening the shared commitment of DepEd offices and schools to deliver more equitable and effective learner support services across Caraga.
By: Melody Lou B. Villaplaza
ESSD Technical Assistant II
DepEd Caraga
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For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph ; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph
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